EMPL​AN

EMPLAN ensures a coordinated approach to emergencies. Agencies are authorised to undertake their responsibilities and functions under EMPLAN in the event of an emergency.

Emergency Management Plans are also prepared and reviewed for the regional and local areas.

State EMPLAN means the New South Wales State Emergency Management Plan. It describes the NSW emergency, management approach, governance and coordination arrangements and roles and responsibilities of agencies. Its objective is to ensure the coordinated response to emergencies by responsible agencies.

This is supported by hazard-specific sub plans, functional area supporting plans, related policy instruments and guidelines at regional and local levels.

Emergency Management Plans are also prepared and reviewed for the regional and local areas.

Sub Plans

Specific Hazards Plans, also known as Sub Plans, are prepared to deal with specific hazards.

A sub plan is an action plan for a specific hazard, critical task, or special event. Sub plans are prepared when the management arrangements necessary to deal with the effects of the hazard, or the requirements due to an event, differ from the general coordination arrangements in the main or supporting plans for the area. A sub plan may be required where the planning is more specialised or detailed than can be provided for in EMPLAN. E.g. Bushfire Sub, Flood Sub plan, Storm Sub plan, Counter Terrorism Sub plan.

Plans for emergency management are risk-focused. That is, they are developed by considering potential hazards, and the likelihood of occurrence.

For example, the most common emergencies in NSW are floods, storms and bushfires. The risk of floods, storms and bushfires occurring is very high, and NSW needs special arrangements to deal with them because they differ from the general coordination arrangements set out in the supporting plans for the area.

For this reason, specific Sub Plans to deal with floods, storms and bushfires are in place to deal with the effects of these in the community.

Supporting​​ Plans

Supporting plans are prepared by a NSW Government agency or Functional Area. It outlines arrangements by which Functional Areas coordinates support to the controlling or coordinating authority during emergency operations.

It is an action plan describing how the agency/organisation or Functional Area is to operate in order to fulfil the roles and responsibilities allocated. For example, Supporting Plans are prepared by Health Services, Welfare Services, Engineering Services, Transport Services. These may also exist at the regional and local levels.

Supporting plans outline the arrangements by which the Functional Area will coordinate the support services (as allocated in the EMPLAN).